100 Greatest Comic Book Villains Of All Time

76. Clayface

Clayface1FIRST APPEARANCE: DETECTIVE COMICS #40 (1940) Though Clayface has been the alias of several notable villains, the one thing binding them together is their feud with Batman. Clayface typically has an exterior resembling clay but is also able to shape-shift, while the other abilities vary depending on who is adopting the moniker. There's a Clayface who can melt people, one who can use pieces of clay to turn people into similar monsters, and there's even one who has managed to combine the powers of all previous versions of the character. Characterisations of Clayface vary widely throughout his history; some paint him as a silly, over-the-top villain (and, with a name and face like this, who's surprised?), though more recent efforts have sought to humanise him and make him more sympathetic. Though we're never likely to see a cinematic version, he's still one of Batman's best and most unpredictable enemies.

75. Lady Deathstrike

Lady DeathstrykeFIRST APPEARANCE: ALPHA FLIGHT #33 (1986) Lady Deathstrike is referred to by some as "the female Wolverine", but really, she's so much more than though. Yes, she has adamantium bound to her skeleton just like Logan, and yes, she constantly yearns to kill Wolverine in battle, but she is also a cyborg, able to uniquely interface directly with technology, and is a master assassin, even if her occasional bouts of psychosis (as a result of her transformation into a cyborg) do sometimes get in the way of her finishing a job. Though Deathstrike's robotic healing factor isn't as accomplished as Logan's, she is in many ways a more skilled soldier, given her formal training as an assassin, and her adeptness with weapons such as shuriken and nunchakus.

74. Parallax

ParallaxFIRST APPEARANCE: GREEN LANTERN VOL. 3, #50 (1994) Parallax was originally conceived to serve as a villainous counterpart to former Green Lantern Hal Jordan, but eventually the character evolved to become its own entity, representative of the yellow light of fear that plagues all Green Lanterns at one time or another. In fact, much of Parallax's power comes from spreading fear and controlling minds, and he is notable for having easily worn down the psyches of both Superman and Wonder Woman. Batman is notably exempt, however, due to his clear understanding of the notion of fear, and how it can be used to wear an enemy down. Parallax is composed of pure energy, and as a result has no one true form, though frequently casts solid light objects (such as humans) to distract and otherwise disorientate his enemies, as well as cause fear that will allow him to take control of them (as even a mild feeling of anxiety is enough).
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